I told them nothing of the monster Scylla, lest the fear of her should break their hearts.  And now we began to drive through that narrow strait.  On one side was Scylla and on the other Charybdis.  Fear gripped the men when they saw Charybdis gulping down the sea.  But as we drove by, the monster Scylla seized six of my company—­the hardiest of the men who were with me.  As they were lifted up in the mouths of her six heads they called to me in their agony.  ’But I could do nothing to aid them.  They were carried up to be devoured in the monster’s den.  Of all the sights I have seen on the ways of the water, that sight was the most pitiful.’

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’Having passed the rocks of Scylla and Charybdis we came to the Island of Thrinacia.  While we were yet on the ship I heard the lowing of the Cattle of the Sun.  I spoke to my company and told them that we should drive past that Island and not venture to go upon it.’

’The hearts of my men were broken within them at that sentence, and Eurylochus answered me, speaking sadly.’

’"It is easy for thee, O Odysseus, to speak like that, for thou art never weary, and thou hast strength beyond measure.  But is thy heart, too, of iron that thou wilt not suffer thy companions to set foot upon shore where they may rest themselves from the sea and prepare their supper at their ease?"’

’So Eurylochus spoke and the rest of the company joined in what he said.  Their force was greater than mine.  Then said I, “Swear to me a mighty oath, one and all of you, that if we go upon this Island none of you will slay the cattle out of any herd."’

’They swore the oath that I gave them.  We brought our ship to a harbour, and landed near a spring of fresh water, and the men got their supper ready.  Having eaten their supper they fell to weeping for they thought upon their comrades that Scylla had devoured.  Then they slept.’

’The dawn came, but we found that we could not take our ship out of the harbour, for the North Wind and the East Wind blew a hurricane.  So we stayed upon the Island and the days and the weeks went by.  When the corn we had brought in the ship was all eaten the men went through the island fishing and hunting.  Little they got to stay their hunger.’

’One day while I slept, Eurylochus gave the men a most evil counsel.  “Every death,” he said, “is hateful to man, but death by hunger is far the worst.  Rather than die of hunger let us drive off the best cattle from the herds of the Sun.  Then, if the gods would wreck us on the sea for the deed, let them do it.  I would rather perish on the waves than die in the pangs of hunger."’

’So he spoke, and the rest of the men approved of what he said.  They slaughtered them and roasted their flesh.  It was then that I awakened from my sleep.  As I came down to the ship the smell of the roasting flesh came to me.  Then I knew that a terrible deed had been committed and that a dreadful thing would befall all of us.’